With its “lab-on-a-chip” technology, RAB Microfluidics’ sophisticated sensor delivers oil analysis continuously and in real-time: a method 1000x faster than the current approach, which involves sending samples to a laboratory.
The Aberdeen-based firm has developed a cutting-edge microfluidic system that combines hardware technology with machine learning algorithms to intelligently predict failures, allowing forward-thinking maintenance solutions to be developed.
In terms of operations and maintenance costs, the technology could be game-changing. Contaminated oil can result in turbines suffering major gearbox failure. The costs and safety risks associated with major repairs are significant, and a time of less than six months between fault identification and repair can be viewed as highly efficient.
We helped the Aberdeen-based firm win Innovate UK funding to set up a project that will validate and demonstrate their oil condition monitoring system, which if applied to offshore wind could slash maintenance costs and technician inspection times. Also involved in the project is Wideblue, the Glasgow-based optics specialists who collaborated with the Catapult on the Blade Optical Health Monitoring (BOHEM) project.
